Construction of vehicle roofs



C. F. DENNIS CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLE ROOFS Ju nly 17 Filed Dec. 14 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jufiy 17, I923. 1,462,329

c. F. DENNIS CONSTRUGTIQN OF VEHICLE ROOFS Filed Dec. 14. 1921 v 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 eats ha it, sees.

I an? D, 00, MBIGNQB TO TE 89'. G. ER ms t A COEOTKO @F a i a. l a

.ttpplioatton nae eber at, near. Y at at. 63st.

- To all whom it may 0.:

Be it hown that 1, Ce F. ms, a citizen of the United St, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, a State of Ohio, have invented certain rovements in the Construction of llehicle R1- is, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to construct it the roof of an omnibus, or other vehicle, so that the veneers, or anels, of the roof will be held to the meta 1c portion of the, frame by friction so as to allow the veneer panels to have a certain ount of movement in it the frame.

A further object of the invention is to design the roof so that the carline will be connected rigidly to the letter panels.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of one side of a vehicle body illustrating my invention;

Fig.

2 is an enlar ed sectional transverse view through one si e of the roof; at Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the carlines and the letter panel showing the method of attaching the carlines to the panel;

vFi 4 is a longitudinal sectionalview on the line 4-4, Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective view of the roof of the vehicle; and

Fig.6 .is a view illustrating a modifica tion of my invention.

1-1 are the letter anels of the bus body. These are made of sheet metal and extend the full length of the body of the bus and each Eanel is depressed at 2 to form an extende flange 3. 4 is a veneer late which extends the full length of the, etter panel and is secured thereto by rivets 5. 6 1s the veneer roofing which may be made of wood or wood composition or a wooden center sheathed with thin metal. The edges of the roofin extend into the space between the steel p ate 4 and the flange 3 of the letter anel and is clamged by the two plates.

' oseries of rivets in the present instance extend through holes in the plate and through enlarged holes in the veneer roofing, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This construction allows a certain amount of play, the veneer roofing being held in position by fi'iotion.

Extending from one letter panel to ana other 1s a series of carlines 8. These carlines are U-shaped in cross section in the present instance as shown in Fig. 4, and they have flanges 9 resting against the un er slde of the veneer roofing 6 and extending across the roof from one letter panel to another. Directl above each carline is a steel plate 10 an a short plate 11 extends under each flange 9 of each carline and under the flange 3 of the letter panel. at These plates 10 and 11 are secured by rivets 12 to the flanges of the carlines and b rivets 13 to the flange 3 of the letter pane Both sets of rivets extend throu h enlarged holes in the veneer roofing so t at there is a direct metallic connection through the carline from one letter panel to the other. The opening in the veneer roofing for the rivets. 12, being larger than the rivets, allows the root to expand and contract, yet the metallic parts of the roof structure will be rigidly connected.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the enlarged holes for the rivets extendin through the clamping plates as well as t e veneer. This con struction may be used when the plates and veneers are punched after being assembled.

I claim:

1. The combination in a vehicle roof structure, of a frame having two longitudinal letter anels extending at the side and over art of t e roof, the portions of each pane at the roof being depressed to form a an e; a veneer plate extending the full length 0 the flange of each letter anel and secured at oneedge to said pane carlines connecting the flanges of the two panels; and roofing sectionsextending from one side of the vehicle to the other side thereof and resting on the flanges of the letter panels and under the veneer plates.

2. The combination in a vehicle roof structure, of a frame having two longitudinal letter panels extending at the sides and over part of the roof, that portion of each panel at the roof being depressed to form a flange; a veneer plate extending over the flange of each letter panel; carlines connecting the flanges of the two panels; roofing sections extending from one side of the vehicle to the other side thereof and resting on the flanges of the letter panels and under the veneer plates; and rivets extending through enlarged openings in the roofing sections and securing the carlines to the flanges of the letter panels'and the veneer plates.

3. The combination in a vehicle roof structure, of a frame having two longitudinal letter panels extending at the sides and over part of the roof, that portion of each panel at the roof having a depressed flange extending the full length of the panel; a veneer plate attached to each letter panel and extending over the flange; flanged carlines extending from one side of the vehicle to the other and connecting the letter panels; roofing sections mounted on the carlines and extending into the spaces between the flanges of the letter panels and the veneer plates; coupling plates connecting the carlines with the flanges of the letter panels; transverse plates located above the carlines and overlapping the joints of the roofing sections; and rivets extending through enlarged holes in the roofing sections and securing the carlines and the transverse plates to the letter panels and to the veneer plates.

CHARLES F. DENNIS. 

